Boutwell's Air Masters - Make Sure AC Coils Get Cleaned as Part of Spring Cleaning

HVAC technicians in Pensacola, FL remind homeowners of the value of scheduling AC coil maintenance.

Improving the AC by Cleaning the Coils

Every year it seems that spring cleaning lists get longer and longer. So many "hacks" seem to make spring cleaning a much bigger deal than it needs to be. One easy task to add to the list that will pay dividends over the year is to schedule AC maintenance from an HVAC professional.

Professional AC maintenance in the spring is a simple task that can be accomplished in less than a day and is an important step in making sure the AC will run all summer long. A vital step the technician will do during AC maintenance is called "coil cleaning." Here is a quick guide to coil cleaning from local AC maintenance professionals.

What Is the Evaporator Coil?

The physics that makes an AC work is fascinating. In an AC, the cooling is done by evaporating a refrigerant inside a coil while warm air passes over it. As the refrigerant evaporates, it pulls the heat from the air making it cool. The coil that does this is called the evaporator coil. It lives inside the home in the blower unit.

Air filters keep it from becoming fouled with dust and dander. Anything that builds upon the coil impedes the important exchange of heat that keeps air-cooled. One should do annual evaporator coil cleaning to remove this buildup and ensure good heat transfer.

What Do Condenser Coils Do?

Once the refrigerant is evaporated, it needs to be condensed and recycled to start the process over again. This happens outside in the condenser coil. The condenser coil is equally sensitive to the buildup of dirt as the evaporator coil and should also be cleaned every spring to remove last year's grime.

This ensures that outside air can effectively remove the heat from the refrigerant that was formally inside the home when this process can progress unimpeded by grime, a comfortable home, and cheaper energy bills.

Why Is Coil Cleaning and Coil Maintenance Important?

AC coils are the workhorses of the central air conditioning system, so they need to be able to operate optimally to get the most out of them. Coil cleaning is a simple process that has several distinct benefits. A technician will use two methods to clean each air conditioner coil during coil cleaning.

First, a tech will likely clean the evaporator coil with a foaming cleanser. These chemicals are harsh and dangerous and should only be used by professionals. Their foaming action means they don't need to be rinsed off; they will get rinsed away as the air conditioner cycles and pulls moisture out of the air.

Secondly, the technician will clean the condenser coil outside. The condenser coil is in a harsher environment and is more likely to be dirtier and suffer damage. The technicians will use a garden hose to remove large debris and then use another caustic chemical to remove dirt buildup. They will complete the process by rinsing out any remaining dirt, leaving them clean. If necessary, the technician will use a "comb" to straighten any of the bent fins.

The benefits of this process are:

Cheaper bills that result from greater efficiency
Better reliability since the system isn't working unnecessarily hard
Cleaner and more comfortable air since the AC can more easily remove moisture

About Boutwell's Air Masters

Boutwell's Air Masters has two generations of experience helping customers save money on their cooling bills. They offer a maintenance plan to take the hassle out of AC maintenance and ensure homeowners get the most for their spring cleaning efforts. Call today to ensure that the AC in Pensacola, FL homes is ready for summer!